Tag: Triple Crown

Excited or nervous?

Just days away from the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa, Mike Repole, co-owner of champion and race favorite Forte, considered the question.

“I'm not sure yet…I haven't figured that out yet,” Repole said.

There isn't much Repole hasn't figured out yet. A successful businessman and entrepreneur with a passion for Thoroughbred racing, Repole and his partners Vinnie and Teresa Viola enter the Derby with a colt who's already an overwhelming favorite for the Florida Derby and the Kentucky Derby (G1) as well.

And there's good reason for it. A winner of four of five starts as a 2-year-old, including the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), Forte returned from a four-month layoff in his 3-year-old debut and won Gulfstream's Fountain of Youth (G2) impressively March 4 while being ridden out by regular rider Irad Ortiz Jr.

Repole gets the buzz around Forte, and it wouldn't be surprising if he felt a bit of déjà vu this weekend. A dozen years ago another Repole champion, Uncle Mo, arrived at Gulfstream with much the same buzz, having also won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Uncle Mo made his 3-year-old debut in the Timely Writer and won impressively. Unfortunately, he was scratched the day before the Kentucky Derby.

“It's similar, having the 2-year-old champion, having the Derby favorite, until at least March,” Repole said. “Uncle Mo won the Timely Writer at Gulfstream, and we won the Fountain of Youth. I guess in that aspect it's similar and maybe some of the nervousness is that Uncle Mo would have been the [Kentucky] Derby favorite except he never got to run in the Derby. There are so many variables that go into this game.”

Repole believes there are a few reasons Forte is considered a strong Florida and Kentucky Derby favorite, possibly more so than Uncle Mo. And those could be the reasons he celebrates his first Florida Derby and, in May, his first Kentucky Derby.

“When they come back from 2 to 3, some peak at 2, some get better depending on what they did at 2. But to have a 2-year-old champion come back and actually train better, look better, and perform better is more than anyone can ask for, especially when he's the 2-year-old champion, and he's checking all those boxes right now.

“It's a combination of him doing everything right, and really no other horse out there shows himself as, 'Wow, this is going to be a really legitimate competitor.' Horses are either getting hurt or disappointing in a prep … and then the way [Forte] just came back,” he added. “The Fountain of Youth, you could say, it's tougher than the [Florida Derby] for a couple reasons. He's coming off a 4 ½-month layoff in the Fountain of Youth, and every horse in that race had a race either four weeks ago or five weeks ago and some had two starts this year. So, when you go into that and he beats the horse that won the Holy Bull [Rocket Can], and he wins impressively … and Forte comes in here and wins by five and never sees the stick. He just does everything professionally.”

And he did it effortlessly in the Fountain of Youth, galloping “past [opponents] in really a split second from minus two [lengths] to plus three,” Repole added.

Repole has campaigned a long list of successful runners, including 2019 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Vino Rosso with the Violas and 2022 Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Mo Donegal and runner-up Nest with Donegal Racing and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House. He credits his staff for his success, including trainer Todd Pletcher. “Todd is family,” he says.

And Repole said partnering and winning with the Violas – Vinnie being owner of the National Hockey League's Florida Panthers – “is like a Sunday dinner with family members growing up.”

For Repole, Saturday will present another opportunity to spend the day with family. He figures he'll bring 50-60 family and friends to the track, and he's hoping to be in the winner's circle before the Derby. Those pictures in the winner's circle, he says, are like family portraits.

“We have four in [Saturday],” he said. “If I go three-for-four and it's not Forte, it's not going to be a successful day. If I go one-for-four and Forte is the winner, it will be a great day.”

Repole, who has approximately 270 horses and strongly believes the sport has plenty of room for improvement, makes it clear he wants to win at the highest level while enjoying success with family and friends.

Once again, Repole can do just that this weekend.

The post ‘He Just Does Everything Professionally’: Repole Riding High On Forte appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Ramiro Restrepo remembers the first time he ever visited Gulfstream Park as a young boy and the thrill of having his picture taken in the winner's circle. The Miami native is hoping to repeat the experience Saturday, only on a much grander scale.

Along with OGMA Investments, Sterling Racing and CMNWLTH, Restrepo is one of four partners in Mage, who will make just his third career start and second straight in a stakes in the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa.

“I'm sure if you were to interview any four of us, we'll have our own individual story as to what this means for us. For myself, I'm raised here in Miami. This is home. I've been coming to this track since 1989 when they allowed children to come here. I took the first winner's circle that they allowed children to take pictures in,” Restrepo said. “To say that you have involvement in a horse that's running in a race of this caliber, the history, the winners in the past, to have your name in the program and have a horse that can hit the board or maybe hit a miracle win – it's the greatest feeling of all time.”

A son of 2017 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) winner Good Magic and grandson of Hall of Famer Curlin and 2008 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness (G1) winner Big Brown, Mage fetched $290,000 last May during Fasig-Tipton's 2-year-olds in training sale at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium. Restrepo attended the sale with trainer Gustavo Delgado, who races as OGMA Investments.

“I think the first thing that caught our attention was his similarities to his sire, Good Magic. They're like clones, down to the markings on the face and legs,” Restrepo said. “His muscles and his balance, he was just like in his sire and grandsire Curlin. Those similarities were so striking. His demeanor, his presence, his class just stood out to the both of us. And it was pretty unanimous right then and there that we had to go get him.

“When we were bidding on the horse, we got to what we had allotted for him and normally myself I'm pushing for more and your client or the owners are telling you to hold up,” he added. “I was ready to stop bidding and Gustavo was the one who almost cracked me three times left handed and made me keep bidding. In my mind I kept thinking, 'How are we going to pay for this thing?' and luckily with his pressure we kept bidding and we were lucky enough to get the colt.”

Mage didn't debut until Jan. 28 at Gulfstream, rolling to a front-running 3 ¾-length maiden special weight triumph sprinting seven furlongs. He stepped immediately into the 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth (G2) March 4, racing up near the leaders throughout and staying on to be fourth behind Forte, Holy Bull (G3) winner Rocket Can and Cyclone Mischief. Forte, the 2-year-old champion of 2022, and Cyclone Mischief also return in the Florida Derby.

“We could have gone to the Blue Grass or even held off until the Lexington. The fact that it's his home court, it's his backyard [was a factor],” Restrepo said. “It's five minutes to the paddock from here. All those factors of just being close to home and the familiarity – his two races were over the home track and those were the biggest factors in keep him here.”

Luis Saez has the mount on Mage for the first time, breaking from Post 4 in a field of 12. They are rated at 10-1 on the morning line.

“To be honest with you, we've had a magnifying glass out looking for a reason not to run, whether it's to give him all the time in the world to recover,” Restrepo said. “[For] a young horse running in a big race, you think he's going to come out of it a little sour, a little tired, maybe lose some weight and lose some energy. On the contrary, it feels like he's grown. He's filled out, he's muscled out, he's put on wight. Even his appetite, he's asking for more food. He's eating every last oat.

“I know these are things people use as cliches, but in reality the whole team has been watching every move that he's made and the colt has done nothing but ask for this race himself. It's just the logical next step at the moment,” he added. “We're not necessarily thinking anything further than this race. It's one race at a time. You never know what may come of this but there's no end goal at the moment. We're not pointing to the Kentucky Derby or Preakness or anything. The next logical step for the colt at the moment was the Florida Derby. Here we are, excited to get it going.”

The presence of 2-year-old champion and powerful Fountain of Youth (G2) winner Forte in Saturday's $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa didn't scare off everyone, least of all Dale Romans.

Romans will continue his quest for a first Florida Derby victory and earn more points toward a berth in the May 6 Kentucky Derby (G1) with Albaugh Family Stables and Castleton Lyons' Cyclone Mischief.

The Florida Derby offers a total of 200 Derby points to the top five finishers on a 100-40-30-20-10 basis. Cyclone Mischief currently ranks 36th on the leaderboard with 15 points for the Derby, limited to 20 horses.

“I am excited. It's always good to be in the Derby picture and on the Derby trail, especially here at Gulfstream Park,” Romans said. “You've got to be in it to win it, that's my theory. If you've got a horse doing good and you like your horse and you're on the Derby trail, just keep going.”

Romans has trained a pair of Florida Derby runners-up, Sharp Humor in 2006 and eventual Preakness (G1) winner Shackleford in 2011. Shackleford is one of 45 starters in the Florida Derby's 71-year history that have gone on to win a remarkable 58 Triple Crown races.

“You can go back in history and look at all the good horses that have come out of South Florida to go on and run in the Derby and run in the Triple Crown races. I think this is always the toughest spot,” Romans said. “Bob [Baffert]'s got his horses in California, and nobody can beat him. Fair Grounds and Arkansas horses are nice horses, but I just feel like Gulfstream is the epicenter of winter racing and has all the best horses. Of course, we've got to beat the champion this week if we're going to win.

“We come down here to run against the best horse in the world because of this weather. If you look at horses that come out of Gulfstream Park, it just does something for them to come down here. Just like it does people,” he added. “You come down here to spend the winter in the warm weather burning calories just trying to stay warm, you're not walking on frozen racetracks and big open-aired barns. I really think that this is the perfect place to be to winter your horse.”

After finishing a dull seventh when asked to rate in the Feb. 4 Holy Bull (G3), Romans was thrilled with the way Cyclone Mischief bounced back in the Fountain of Youth a month later. He set the pace along the rail and took a half-length lead into the stretch but was unable to hold off Forte's late run and wound up third beaten 5 ¾ lengths, 1 ¼ lengths behind Holy Bull winner Rocket Can.

Romans will give similar front-running instructions to Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, aboard for the first time. They will break from Post 9 of 12 with morning-line odds of 8-1.

“I think, same thing. Let him break. If somebody wants to go to the lead, let them go, but just don't take a hold of him and wrangle him back and try to make him do something he doesn't want to do,” Romans said. “I think he resented that in his only real bad effort that he's run. He bounced back off of it free-running, and we'll do it again.”

The Florida Derby will be the seventh start for Cyclone Mischief, who has two wins and two thirds on his resume including a 5 ¾-length optional claiming allowance victory going one mile Jan. 8 at Gulfstream in his sophomore debut.

“This is more races than I've ever put into a horse trying to get to the Kentucky Derby. He's just a big tank and he can handle it,” Romans said. “I think that will help him when we finally get there. He's an April 30 foal so he's still young. He's really just now coming to himself. We haven't seen the best of him.

“The whole game is built on getting to the Kentucky Derby and win that. Right now, we're all in get-there mode. I'd like to think the champion is going bounce maybe this week. He's coming back on his second start off short rest and he ran big effort first time out. It might be wishful thinking. He was ultra-impressive, I thought, the other day. But, hey, we don't duck one horse,” he added. “If we run second or third, we'll go on to the Derby. A lot of strange things happen there as we've seen over the years.”

The post Florida Derby: Mage Represents ‘Home’ Team, Romans Refuses To ‘Duck One Horse’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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After falling far behind early in his last two starts, Red Route One will race in blinkers for the first time in Saturday's $1.25 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen said he hopes the move will shake up the son of Gun Runner, who races for his breeder, Winchell Thoroughbreds (Ron and Joan Winchell). Red Route One trailed by double digits early in the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Jan. 28 and $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) Feb. 25 before rallying to finish second in both races. Both 1 1/16-mile races were run over off tracks.

“This, expecting to be his last prep before the (Kentucky) Derby, we were pleased with his run in the Rebel,” Asmussen said Thursday morning. “But we need a little more. Hopefully, the blinkers will keep him engaged. Just watching the race, he was away fine and around the first turn. When they dropped down the backside, he just lost too much immediately. I'm hoping he doesn't give them that much with the addition of blinkers in the middle of the race.”

Asmussen said Red Route One began training in blinkers following the Rebel, where he was beaten one length by Confidence Game. Red Route One trailed by 19 ½ lengths after the opening quarter mile.

“He is very comfortable in them at this stage,” Asmussen said, referring to blinkers.

Red Route One, who is seeking his first career victory on dirt, has 33 points to rank 16th on the latest Kentucky Derby leaderboard released by Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Derby is limited to 20 starters.

Asmussen also entered Harlocap in the Arkansas Derby. After previously being with Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, Harlocap finished sixth in his first start for Asmussen, the $400,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2) at 1 1/8 miles Feb. 18 at Fair Grounds. Asmussen decided to run Harlocap in the Arkansas Derby, rather than the $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2) at 1 3/16 miles last Saturday at Fair Grounds.

“I just think this racetrack is more conducive to his natural style,” Asmussen said. “Hopefully, he's away cleanly. He has a high cruising speed and I think he'll stay on extremely well. He's a beautiful horse that has plenty of talent. Just trying to put him in a position where he can use it.”

Asmussen is seeking his record-tying fifth Arkansas Derby victory after winning the race in 2002 (Private Emblem), 2007 (Curlin), 2016 (Creator) and 2021 (Super Stock). Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has five Arkansas Derby victories.

The post Blinkers On: Asmussen Hopes To Keep Red Route One ‘Engaged’ In Arkansas Derby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Frank Fletcher still has Derby fever, but it's not the Kentucky kind.

Fletcher was raised in tiny Tamo, Ark., about 80 miles southeast of Hot Springs, attended the University of Arkansas and later became a highly successful businessman in the state, with interests ranging from furs to restaurants, hotels to automobile dealerships.

Fletcher, 80, is also a longtime Thoroughbred owner and considers Oaklawn, naturally, his home track. It's easy to connect the remaining dots since Oaklawn annually runs the race Fletcher covets more than any – the Arkansas Derby.

Fletcher, who won his first race at Oaklawn in 1989, has started only two horses in the Arkansas Derby, finishing third in 2001 with Son of Rocket and seventh in 2007 with Officer Rocket. Both were trained by the late Bob Holthus, Oaklawn's all-time winningest trainer.

Fletcher, the colorful North Little Rock, Ark., owner will have another opportunity Saturday when his Rocket Can, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, starts in the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby (G1). The 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby is Oaklawn's fourth and final Kentucky Derby points race.

“I love the Arkansas Derby,” Fletcher said moments after last Sunday's post position draw in the Larry Snyder Winner's Circle. “We love this race. I told Wally Hall (longtime Arkansas Democrat-Gazette sports editor) all my life that my whole life's dream was to win the Arkansas Derby. And if I did that, I didn't care if I ever got in the Kentucky Derby. If I were to win the Arkansas Derby, I would just probably tell Mott to go ahead and do whatever he wants to. I'm just going to stay here and get on top of this statue out front and sit there for about a week.”

Rocket Can represents Fletcher's best Arkansas Derby chance to date after winning the $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) Feb. 4 and finishing second behind champion Forte in the $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) March 4. Both 1 1/16-mile races were at Gulfstream Park.

By super sire Into Mischief out of the Tapit mare, Tension, Rocket Can has flourished since moving to two turns last fall. Rocket Can broke his maiden Oct. 30 at Churchill Downs, then finished second, beaten a half-length by Confidence Game, in a first-level allowance Nov. 26 at Churchill Downs. Both races were 1 1/16 miles. Confidence Game returned to win the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2), Oaklawn's final major prep for the Arkansas Derby, Feb. 25.

After winning the Holy Bull by three-quarters of a length, Rocket Can, in his last start, was beaten 4 ½ lengths by Forte in the Fountain of Youth. Forte, an Eclipse Award winner at 2, is favored in Kentucky Derby future wagering.

“Forte was faster than us, there's no question,” Fletcher said. “But he had the best trip in the world in the Fountain of Youth. He's a very fast runner, but he never got banged or hit or anything. He's going to be one of the top two or three favorites in the Kentucky Derby. But our horse is built, I like to say, more like a linebacker than a running back. He's strong and he can take a bump in that first turn and he'll keep on going.”

Rocket Can, like Forte, has been based this winter and early spring in south Florida. Mott opted for a road trip after it was announced Forte would stay home and run in the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) Saturday at Gulfstream Park, with the Arkansas Derby and $1 million Blue Grass Stakes (G1) April 8 at Keeneland becoming the two next-race targets.

The Arkansas Derby will offer 200 points to the top five finishers (100-40-30-20-10, respectively) toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby. Rocket Can (40 points) ranks 13th on the latest Kentucky Derby leaderboard released by Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Derby is limited to 20 starters.

“Just the timing out it,” Mott said Tuesday afternoon. “If he gets some more points and qualifies for the (Kentucky) Derby, it gives us five full weeks back to the Derby, so that's good. So, the timing is OK. We're coming back in four weeks for this one, but sometimes you've got put them on a rigorous program if you're going to try to get to the Derby.”

Fletcher and Mott have already enjoyed considerable success since reuniting several years ago, campaigning, among others, millionaire multiple graded stakes winning female sprinter Frank's Rockette and Grade 3 winner Candy Man Rocket. Fletcher said he has never pressured Mott to run one of the owner's horses in the Arkansas Derby. Mott, for example, ran Candy Man Rocket in major Kentucky Derby preps in Florida and New York – not Arkansas – in 2021. Rocket Can, a gray, is the 4-1 third choice in the program for the Arkansas Derby.

“We were looking at this race and the Blue Grass and wanted to see who was in each,” Fletcher said. “I told him I'd give anything to be in the Arkansas Derby, but if there's a better field for us in Kentucky, I'm not going to tell you not to race there. So, it turned out OK. This is my home state. This is the track I've always wanted to win on. But I felt strongly that the horse needed to have every opportunity that Mott thought he could get.”

Fletcher also co-owns Victory Formation, who the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at 1 mile Jan. 1. The Smarty Jones was Oaklawn's first Kentucky Derby points race. Victory Formation fell off the Arkansas Derby trail following a ninth-place finish as the favorite in the $400,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2) at 1 1/8 miles Feb. 18 at Fair Grounds. Next-race plans for Victory Formation are pending, the colt's trainer, Brad Cox, said Wednesday morning. Cox said Victory Formation is nominated to the $400,000 Lexington Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles April 15 at Keeneland.

An Arkansas Derby victory would fall on the 34th anniversary of Fletcher's first overall at Oaklawn. Fletcher co-owned Fast Fan, winner of the 11th race April 1, 1989, with Holthus.

“I won't have anything to do with what they do or how they do it Saturday,” Fletcher said. “I'll just be the cheerleader for it. Really, that's our position as owners. It's to step up to the line and write a check and then we become nothing but a cheerleader. I don't try to get into Mr. Mott's business. I really like him. He would never do anything that wasn't absolutely best for the horse.”

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